MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) and UP Health System – Marquette today announced the hospital’s technical employees have ratified their first union contract.
“We worked hard to make sure the contract provides a solid framework to recruit and retain the
qualified healthcare professionals that our hospital needs,” said Katlyn Lafrinere, a lead cardiovascular
technologist and president of the Marquette Ancillary Staff and Technologists (MAST). “We also now
have a structure in place to discuss issues regarding patient care and have meaningful collaboration with
management to address those. Our top priority is making sure that our patients get the best care
possible.”
The three-year contract takes effect today, September 9. Technical employees voted on the tentative
agreement with the hospital Wednesday and Thursday. The contract, covering about 180 healthcare
professionals represented by the MNA, includes:
• Competitive wages to attract and retain healthcare professionals.
• A wage scale to reward experience.
• A labor-management committee that will meet monthly to discuss issues of joint interest.
“Our technical employees play an incredibly vital role in the delivery of healthcare at our hospital, so we
could not be more pleased to have reached an agreement that meets the collective needs of our staff,
the hospital and community,” said Gar Atchison, chief executive officer of UPHS – Marquette. “We take
seriously our role as one of the area’s top employers and have worked collaboratively with the MNA
throughout this bargaining process, as we did earlier this year with our registered nurses, to arrive
swiftly at an agreement that underscores our continued commitment to creating an excellent workplace
for our employees and delivering the highest quality care to our patients.”
The MNA, the largest union and professional association of nurses and healthcare professionals in the
state, also represents about 300 registered nurses who work at UPHS – Marquette. The nurses ratified a
3-year contract in June.
“Nurses and ancillary staff work hand-in-hand to advocate for our patients every day, and our contracts
protect that voice,” said Stephanie DePetro, RN, president of the MGH RN Staff Council and vice
president of the Michigan Nurses Association Board of Directors. “As our colleagues move forward with
the protections and empowerment of their first contract, we are here with them every step of the way
to keep working together to make our hospital the best it can be for our community.”
